Tie clasp or cravat holder



July 13, 1948. v w, QWEN 2,445,239

' TIE-CLASP. on CRAVAT-HOLDER Filed- Dec. 5, 1944 Patented July 13, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT ornca George W. Owen, North Attleboro, Mass. Application December 5, 1944, Serial No. 566,665

This invention relates toimprovements in tieclasps or holders for fastening the depending ends of a necktie or cravat to the shirt front.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of the type indicated which will securely hold the tie against the shirt front to prevent it from swaying laterally one way or another or from swinging outwardl therefrom when the wearer leans forward.

Another object is to provide a device of the type indicated which is highly ornamental in appearance with its mechanical elements concealed from view when the device is attached to the shirt front to hold the tie in place.

Another object is to provide a device of the type indicated which may be clipped or clamped to the shirt front and then operated to open its parts to provide greater facility and convenience in clasping the tie-ends therein.

Another object is to provide a device of the type indicated having a rearwardly-disposed clip or clamping member with resilient means for engagement with the edge of the shirt front, and a forward bar or cross-member pivoted to swing on an axis at right-angles to the clamping member to carry it into open position for placing the tie thereacross, and then closed against the clamping member to hold the ends of the tie in place.

Another object is to provide a device of the type indicated having means for retaining the swingable bar or cross-member in. closed relationship to prevent the release of the tie-ends.

Further objects of the invention are set forth in the following specification which describes several embodiments of the improved device as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the tie-clasp shown as applied to use for holding the depending ends of a four-in-hand necktie against the shirt front;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the device as observed from the front;

Fig. 3 is a similar view looking toward the back of the device;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the tie-clasp;

Fig. 5 is a view illustrating the device with the front bar or holding member swung upwardly to permit insertion of the ends of the tie in place;

Fig. 6 is a further enlarged part-sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of construction of the device;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of this latter embodiment of the invention and 3 Claims. (Cl. 2 1-49 Fig. 9 is a part-sectional fragmentary view of a modified form of construction of the pivotconnection between the parts of the device.

Tie-clasps or cravat-holders of various types have heretofore been provided in the art but with most of these it is more or less inconvenient to insert the tie-ends in place in the holder; for example, by sliding them in under a forward crossbar which is sprung outwardly for this purpose. In other instances the tie-holder may comprise aclip or clamping element for attachment to the shirt with a looped chain fastened to its ends and designed for holding the tie-ends inserted through the loop. Clasps previously used having the front crossbar fixed or resiliently held at the front of the clip or clamping means are inconvenient to operate, especially when the ends of the tie are of considerable thickness or bulk as in the case with knitted ties and woolen or worsted cravats popular and fashionable at the present time. That is to say, it is difficult to insert the ends of ties of such bulky materials between the front bar or holding member and the clip itself, and the fabric of the tie may become creased or wrinkled during such a procedure. Tie-holders which employ a suspended looped chain for enclosing the ends of the tie have the disadvantage that the flowing ends of the cravat must be gathered in folds to restrict them for insertion through the chain and this folding or compression of the fabric is liable to form creases or wrinkles tending to detract from the artistic ap pearance of the cravat. v

To overcome the defects and deficiencies of previously-used tie-holders such as above set forth, the present invention provides a tie-holder may then be closed down across the front of the clamping member to enclose the tie-ends and be retained in closed relationship by resilient means, thus providing for an extremely neat and attractive appearance Without revealing the mechanical elements such as the pivot-joint and clasping means. The front bar or pivoted element of the device may beof any particular shape or configuration and ornamented by engraving,

piercing or enameling its forward face.

Referring to the present drawings, the present improved tie-clasp or cravat-holder 2 may cornprise a rearward clamping member 3 of any suitable form. For example, as herein shown the member 3 may be constructed from sheet-metal stamped out in dies to provide upper and lower spaced bars 4 and 5 with an elongate opening 6 extending therebetween. Projecting longitudinally within the opening 6 in spaced relation to the bars i and 5 is a spring-tongue or clamping element 1 formed integral with the main portion of the member 3. The spring tongue 1 is preferably offset laterally from the plane of the bars 4 and 5, as shown in Fig. 4, with its free end bent outwardly from the rearward side of the member 3 to provide a curvedlip 8. .--By this form of construction the spring-tongue l is or pleat of the shirt front and slid :thereacross to fasten the tie-holder in place, the offset relationship of the spring-tongue l and its resilience tending to clip the device firmly to the shirt front.

uIn the formof construction ofi-t'he'device illustrated'inFigs. l'to 6; inclusive, the loop-likefportion 9- of the member 3 is narrowed at its ends to provide projecting extensions it and H. Each of these extensions IB- and His provided with an-integr al portion or tab I2 bent at'right angles -from the under sidethereof and'then upwardly 'in-parallel relation thereto provide a sort of U- "s'haped hook -or retaining membensee'Fig; 6. The upper 'endof each tab [2 is curved outward- ;ly slightly at l3 toiform an easy entrance or opening M between the tab and theside of the vextension It or l l.

'Theforwardcross-member l5 whichis dem'signedtoenclose and retain the ends of thetie orcravat may be made in any desired shape or contour, being herein illustratedas'havingthe form of a relatively narrow straight-edged cross- 'bar bent into rectangular loops at its ends. -More specifically, :the member consists 'in a relatively narrow bar with its ends bent rearwardly One end of the "member is is pivotally other equivalent means. Preferably, the tabs l2 are bent toward the sides of. the extensions Ill and il at a slight inclination'ith'ereto. so that "they will exerta frictional binding actionsonthe "ends l6cand illzof the'bar or 'member'ld'when T theyare'slid into place in the spaces Hi between thei-tabsand'the sides of the'extensions it and 'l l.

In operation, theclamping member or clip 31s. placed in positionagainst :the front of theshirt and slid longitudinally with "thei-spring-tongue I "inserted at.the' rearof the hem.. The tongue I "will.thus bindagainst the fabric 'of the shirt Lita-fasten the member 3 firmly :in' position. 1. The forward element'or crossbar 'i5of the device may -be swunguupwardly about its pivot Zilin substan- '-tially vertical position as shown in Fig. 5 and'the endsof the tie T 'mayth'en be laid'across the Y front-of the member 3 in a smooth condition with-" out folding or'wrinkling the'fabric. Theimein'ber or crossbar" l5 is then' swung downwardly into parallel relation to therearward"member-with its inturned or reversely-bentends l6 and 11 engaging'throughthespaces- M between the extensions l9 and H and the spring-tabs [2 at the rear of the member 3. The looped ends 18 and IQ of the crossbar l5 will thus be caused to engage around and enclose the marginal edges of 5 the ends of the tie or cravat T to prevent it from swaying laterally or swinging outwardly from the shirt front; it being understood that the tie-clasp is located in such relationship vertically of the shirt front as to position the looped l0 ends It and "of themember 15 in substantial alinement with the edges of the cravat-ends.

Figs. 7 and 8 of the present drawings illustrate *a slightly modified form of construction of the tie- -.-clasp .inwhich the bent tabs 2| and 22 on the J5 extensions I0 and II of the rear member 3 are at adapted to be inserted under theedgeof the hem tl'leforward side thereof. That is to say, the tabs ti and 22. are. bent upwardly at the front of the member 3 andthe end of the crossbar I5 is also .zrpivoted on the forward side of the member 3 to adapt its ends 16 and l! to engage between the tabs: M -and Zland'the front face of the memher 3.

A furthermodification in the construction .of the device isillustrated in Fig. 9 which shows the 25 crossbanor front member l5 as adapted to be pivoted on a resilient stud 25 projecting rearwardly from one end of the member 3. For this purposeithe .reversely-bent portion I 1 of the member I5 is formed with a hole 26 through which thestud Zimay be inserted with a snap-actionsimilar to that. of a glove-fastener. This form of construction providesthat the partsmay be assembled more readily without requiring heading over a rivet.

It willbe -observedfrom the foregoing specificationithatimy invention provides an extremely isimple' yet practical form of construction for tie- -'clasps'-which constitutes a novel improvement and advance in the. art. Whilethe device'isex- 40 tremely-economical to manufacture as comprising-2 only two essential elements which may be stamped out and struck up from sheet-metal, it sis-embodied in-a'strong and rigid construction -"which iszn'ot'liable 'to become broken, distorted .or otherwise' damaged.

The 'methodof' applyingthe device to use provides for greater .'-faci 1ity and convenience in attaching theends: of the'tie or cravat' by simply swinging the forward member upwardly from across the rearwardmember asothat the :ends of "the tie or .cravat mayflbelaidi in place in flat con- ..-tionIwlthoutwrinkling. or crushing the material. The ends-of the tie are'thenheld-securely from :lateral swaying or outward swinging movemerit, both-edges of "the tie en'ds bein anchored so that' they' cannot become released. 'By the present improved construction'all mechanical elements of the device are concealed from view so that the .cl'asp'is heater and more unobtrusive in appearance; yet capable of being suitably ornamented to heighten its ari'stic effect.

'- While I have herein-shown and-described my improved tie-clasp as embodied in a preferred form of construction withsligh't modifications also illustrated, it is to be understood thatfurther variations-may be made in the formand structure of its parts without departing from'the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore,- with out limitingmyself-"in this-respect, I claim:

- 1.'-A tie-clasp or cravat-holder. comprising a relatively flat clamping element "provided with means fonrelea'sably engaging itiwith a shirt front, a pivot atone end of theelement disposed "WithitS axis "in'a horizontal plane'andproject- "'75 ing at right-angles to the plane of 'thc'clamping element, a crossbar hinged on said pivot to adapt it to swing in an arc concentric to the horizontal axis of the pivot in a plane parallel with the plane of the clamping element and parallel to the front of the shirt to open the clasp, and means at the end of the clamping element opposite from the pivot for yieldingly retaining the crossbar in parallel spaced relationship to the front of the clamping element.

2. A tie-clasp or cravat-holder comprising a relatively fiat rearward clamping element having resilient means for releasably engaging it with the edge of a shirt front, a forward bar-like crossmember having loops at its ends for engaging around the edges of the ends of the tie or cravat, a pivot at one end of the clamping element for hingedly mounting the forward cross-member thereon, the axis of said pivot being disposed in a horizontal plane and perpendicular to the plane of the rearward clamping element to adapt the cross-member to swin upwardly in a plane parallel with the shirt front, and means on the rearward clamping element for resiliently engaging the loops at the ends of the cross-member to'frictionally hold said cross-member in parallel relation to the clamping element and spaced forwardly therefrom.

3. A tie-clasp or cravat-holder comprising a rearward clamping element comprising spaced parallel bars with a spring-tongue extending therebetween and connected thereto at one end to adapt its free end for insertion under the edge of a shirt front to attach the tie-clasp thereto, a pivot-stud on said clamping element having its axis projecting horizontally in perpendicular relation thereto, a forward crossbar having end-portions extending rearwardly therefrom and then inwardly toward each other to form rectangular loops with the rearward portion of one of the loops hinged on the pivot-stud, and portions of the clamping element projecting upwardly at its rearward side in spaced relation thereto for en gaging the looped ends of the crossbar to frictionally retain said crossbar in parallel offset relation to the clamping element with a space therebetween for the ends of the necktie.

GEORGE W. OWEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,003,740 Coh'n June 4, 1935 2,134,394 Morse Oct. 25, 1938 

